(S1) - Ultimus Week

[JBLAZE_THE_BOSS]

Offensive Comparison:




Defensive Comparison:

A defensive comparison between two men leading into the first ever NSFL championship game is something we can look back on in retrospect. The important thing about defense is stopping the other team from scoring and stealing the ball away from them. Taking a look at Colorado and Arizona, both teams had pretty solid secondaries. The defenses of these teams understood the primary principles needed to be a successful defense, and that's why both teams ended up playing for all of the marbles.

J. Williams of Arizona had 10 pass deflections along with a league leading 5 interceptions. Williams was as close to a shut down corner as the league saw this season, considering the overall talent pool was nothing special.

A. Hayden of Colorado deflected 18 passes with 4 interceptions but had 63 tackles which suggested that all you had to do was get the ball near this guy and you might come up with it or at least be on your way to the end zone.

Both of these players turned out to be okay, but if these teams want to end up making yearly reservations to the title game, they need to get defenders who will do better than this for a consistent amount of time.

Bottom Third:

When you see the pathetic mess that is the Baltimore Hawks and San Jose Sabercats, you aren't surprised to know that these teams did not make the playoffs. That's one of the worst feelings in the world, or so I hear, is being the worst teams in a brand new league. You have the same chance everyone else does in the league and yet you come up short and instantly your reputation is soiled until eventually one of these teams ends up relocating in a couple of seasons to try and wash the stink off of their team.

I'd be lying to you if I could name anyone on the Baltimore Hawks without looking it up on the league index. They need to work on their visibility and maybe they'll attract better players, like Mike Boss, to play there.

San Jose made the right choice eventually by acquiring Ethan Hunt to be their QB but it was too little, too late. Rumor has it these dopes are going to let Hunt out of their grasp and test the waters of free agency. Again, this is not a surprise as these teams have already established themselves as less than desirable destinations for any logical professional football player.

S2 Best Performance:

The best player for S2 in the playoffs was Greg Clegane as he had the biggest impact. I'm not talking about on the field against Arizona, but off of the field. This guy and his agent did such a good job at the end of this season pissing off teams and GM's that they all decided to lose their collective minds and begin undermining nearly every unwritten rule of proper etiquette when it comes to this business. This is not a surprise as a lot of people's reputation seems to precede them. With this in mind, Clegane playing hard ball shows that he will have a major impact moving forward. Sure his team lost on the field, but the tone he set will live on in infamy and will be remembered on the right side of history. Comrade Clegane is an honorable man and set the tone on the field and promised to return come next time. Gregor showed everyone watching why he is so highly touted and continued to mound up the pancake stacks. He's already decided that wherever he ends up, he will be opening a pancake themed chain restaurant and will give absolutely 0% of all proceeds to local charities.

Playoff Series MVP:

The playoff series MVP for the Otters and Outlaws would have to be Mike Boss' drug dealer. The steroid supplier was caught at the US-Mexico border sometime around Week 9 and it really showed out there on the field. Boss continued to spiral out of control as his pusher was under Federal Investigation. This continued on through the season and into the playoffs. Boss was forced to miss an entire week of practice leading up to the game testifying during the trial. Boss gave what many believed to be a testimony full of lies in order to protect his own interests and was under oath for hours over the course of several days. With this recently on his conscience, there's no surprise Boss was destroyed in the conference championship game. Not only did the Otters lose badly to the Outlaws, but Boss has been invited back to court for more testimony. The charges against his supplier continue to grow as the case goes on and it's not out of the question that Boss could end up facing jail time when it's all said and done. How could this all have unraveled so quickly? That's a good question for a real reporter.

[Aenir]

Offensive Player Comparison:





Defensive Player Comparison:



Future Talent:

Vincent Sharpei is a phenom, he comes in early, leaves late and is poised to make his mark as a top pick in the season 2 NSFL Draft. Not only is he arguably the top pick in the upcoming draft, but he also has the stuff to make his presence felt in the playoffs! His conditioning is top notch (for a lineman) so in the 4th quarter when his opponents are struggling for air. He is still going, motor still running and knocking people on their asses! Some might say other linemen might be more of a presence, but their motor pales in comparison, plus as a technician, Sharpei is also less likely to make costly late game penalties as opposed to other players who rely on their athleticism which might wane as the game goes on. Another very large plus is that as he comes from West Point, that discipline also applies to his character. He has already made an announcement that he will play for any team that drafts him. Teams that pass on Sharpei do so at their own risk, as this is a generational talent that is poised to dominate both in many regular seasons and playoffs to come! (203)

Bottom Third:

The Baltimore Hawks had such a good start, going undefeated in their preseason, but then the wheels fell off. Baltimore finished 4-10, struggling both offensively with 18.1 points per game (total of 254 Points for), 281.1 yards per game (97.8 Rush and 184.4 Passing) and defensively, allowing 23.6 points per game (total of 330 against), 357.6 yards per game (125.6 Rushing and 232.1 Passing). They also came last in the league in sacks (36), it must have been a very frustrating year for Baltimore fans. Especially when Yellowknife and Colorado (both 8-6) were duking it out for the top spot in the division. As far as what caused the problems, one might think it was just some bad luck as Baltimore's turnover numbers go, but more likely is that a large portion of the team stopped training about halfway through the season which feeds into the bad football, which led to more players stopping training. What a vicious cycle! Some highlights for the fans include CB M. Peterson (4 Interceptions and 11 Pass Deflections), QB S. Kyubee (2581 Yards, 58.3 Completion%, and 12 TDs) and P S. Harris (105 Punts for 4726 Yards at a 45 yard average with 16 inside the 20) The Future is bright for Baltimore fans! (210)

Playoff Series MVP: My MVP for the Colorado-Yellowknife Series is QB L. Noble who went 25/37 for 229 yards and 1 TD. That isn't the best game for a QB but in this game, it was quite formidable. Multiple times with pressure baring down Noble hung in and delivered a precision ball, being crushed as the defense bears down on him. It is his quality and ability to deliver these passes time and again that kept the chains moving, and the Yellowknife offense on the sidelines. This is the mark of a soon to be elite QB, while still raw, has all the ability in the world. NSFL Teams beware, this is a man on a Mission and will only get better as more seasons accumulate and he gains experience in this league! Also worth noting is the Playoff Series LVP: For as good as Noble has been this season, during the Playoff game, this man has been just as terrible. I, of course am talking about Z. Bigboy17 (OL) who had 1 pancake, and that's where the positives end. He was beaten three times for sacks, and threw in a penalty to boot. When the Offensive line struggles, the entire offense struggles and these struggles are a large reason why the Wraiths could only score 6 points in this game. (218)



@Vikain, @Zoone16, @Law, @acki, @Noble, @Muford, @Peterson, @WinstonKodogo, @DollarAndADream

[Perry87]

Defensive player comparison of H. Ernston and J. Saint
Offensive player comparison of K. O'connell and R. Mackworthy

My 2 comparison pics were too big and I didnt want to have a huge post so I just posted the links

Conference Finals MVP

Future Talent

Bottom third

[Gooney]

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series.
I'm going to be comparing two wide receivers from the NSFL Championship. Lincoln Jefferson from the Arizona Outlaws and D.J. Law from the Colorado Yeti. Jefferson had a more productive regular season. He finished with 963 yards on 74 receptions and 6 touchdowns. Law finished the regular season with 647 yards on 49 receptions and 5 touchdowns. Law had slightly more yards per catch with 13.2

Both Jefferson and Law had great championship games. Law was the only offensive player to show up for his team. He caught 5 balls for 95 yards. His biggest play came in the 4th quarter. He was able to jump over Rashad to complete a 34 yard catch. Although he never put up a touchdown, he helped his team move the chains all game. Jefferson was dominant in the finals. He caught 6 balls for 111 yards. His best play came in the 2nd quarter. With his great speed he was able to make a small slant into a 32 yard gain. Being stopped just 5 yards short of the end zone. The Outlaws would go on to score on the very next play. Both players had great seasons. Hopefully they will be able to keep it up in the future.

Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series
Both teams in the NSFL Finals had great defensive lines. Two players stood out to me from the finals. Jayce Tuck from the Arizona Outlaws and Vinny Cox from the Colorado Yeti. Both players had great regular seasons. Tuck was the NSFL sack leader this season. He had a total of 16 sacks. He also had 47 tackles and 17 tackles for a loss. Cox had 7 regular season sacks. He forced one fumble, had 69 tackles and another 7 tackles for a loss.

In the Championship game, both players were incredible. Cox had his first sack of the game in the first. He was able to bring down Draxel for a 9 yard loss. He was able to get to Draxel once again in the third for a 10 yard loss. And then in the 4th, Cox got his 3rd sack of the game. Bringing down Draxel once again for a 7 yard loss. Cox was an absolute nightmare for Draxel. The Outlaws offensive line could not contain Cox. Jayce Tuck was able to match Cox's production. He too had 3 sacks in this game. He feasted on the Yeti's offensive line all game. Both players were also great in the run game. Stuffing plenty of runs.

Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
The Baltimore Hawks struggled in many areas of the game. Their pass rush was terrible compared to the rest of the league. They brought down the quarterback a total of 36 times this season. Putting them in last by a big margin. The second lowest sack number was the SaberCats with 53. So the Hawks pass rush was terrible. Their rushing game was also bad. The Hawks only averaged 3.4 yards per carry. That ranks them last in the NSFL. Having the worst pass rush and the worst rushing game is not a key to success and that is why the Hawks struggled this season.

The Sabercats biggest problem was their offence. This is a team that lacked play makers on both sides of the ball.Thy really struggled the whole season putting points up on the board. The Sabercats only averaged 15.2 points per game. That ranked them dead last in the league. And there defence was not much better. They had hard time keeping their opponents out of the end zone. They got scored on by 20.8 points per game. Ranking them last in their conference and second last in the league. They had a very bland offence and defence that lacked a lot of skill.

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups.
The NSFC Championship game was played between the Colorado Yeti and the Yellowknife Wraiths. Both teams finished the regular season with an 8-6 record. It was a very tight game. The score was 6-3 Wraiths heading into halftime. In the 3rd, the Yeti were able to score the only touchdown of the game. The Yeti drove 93 yards down the field. Finishing off the drive with Law catching an 11 yard pass for the easy touchdown. The Yeti added another field goal in the fourth to put the game away.

The ASFC Championship game was between the Arizona Outlaws and the Orange County Otters. The game was pretty even heading into the 4th quarter. The score was 15-13 for the Outlaws in the 4th. The Outlaws would then go on to score 21 unanswered points to put the game away. The Outlaws booked their ticket to the finals with a 36-13 victory over the Otters.

The NSFL Championship was played between the Colorado Yeti and the Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws outplayed the Yeti for most of the game. They got a pick six early in the 1st too give them a 7-0 lead. And they never looked back from there. They were able to shut down the Yeti's offence giving up only 6 points all game. The Outlaws would go on to win the championship 29-6.

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game.
Colorado Yeti were to face off against the Arizona Outlaws in the inaugural NSFL Championship. In my opinion the best play from this game happened early on in the first quarter. The Outlaws have had a very strong defence this whole season and they showed why on this play. Outlaws safety Ryan Flock was able to pick off Logan Noble and return it 24 yards for the touchdown. Noble was hoping to hit Hendrix on a little screen pass. Flock read the play perfectly and jumped the route, leading to an easy pick six. This pick six set the tone for the rest of the game. The Colorado Yeti looked pretty deflated after this play and they really struggled to pull it back together. It looked like it effected Noble the most. Logan Noble seemed to lose all confidence after this play. He was real shaky for the rest of the game. Completing only 16 of 34 passes for a measly 165 yards. The Yeti would only go on too score two field goals as they were completely steam rolled by the Outlaws strong defence. The Arizona Outlaws would go on to win the game and the Ultimus Trophy, beating the Colorado Yeti 29 - 6.

[ADwyer87]

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic. Can be completed at any point



Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic. Can be completed at any point



Future Talent: Make a sig for a S2 player who you feel will or did make a large impact for their team in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good



Conference Final MVP Sig: Make a sig for a player of your choice who you felt was the MVP of a Conference Final matchup. Must be completed after the Conference Finals



Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. Must be completed after the Championship Game

[Anti-Hype]

Written Points

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

Today i'll be comparing to fantastic Cornerbacks in the NSFL. Alex Hayden of the Colorado Yeti and Dirk Cutter of the Yellowknife Wraiths. We'll start with Hayden who put up killer numbers with 63 tackles 1 tackle for a loss, and a forced fumble. When it came to stopping the air game he finished the season with 5 picks and 18 passes deflected. Proving to be quite an efficient member of Colorados secondary. Now Cutter may not have been as solid all around but he was able to come in big in the clutch multiple times with his 45 tackles he also pulled in 4 picks and 13 passes deflected. While those numbers don't meet what Hayden has done they are nothing to scoff at. On top of that one of those picks was returned for a touchdown a feat most defensive players dream of for years before pulling it off in the pros. Its easy to say Hayden put up better numbers all around without tacking into account the fact that Cutter pulled off something only a fraction of defensive players did this season. For me you have to go with that "clutchabilty" that comes with the man Cutter though I would not turn my nose at Haydens consistent efficiency


Future Talent: Write about which S2 waiver pickup will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

When it comes to S2 prospects to look out for Dermot Lavelle comes to just about everyones mind and, that includes me. The corner out of Ireland has been performing quite astonishingly and to no surprise as he is one of the hardest workers and most active members of the NSFL community. During his time on the Wraiths he recorded 18 pass deflections (tied second for the league) 4 picks ( tied third for the league). Its safe to say he was pretty shut down as far as Corners go in the NSFL and there's no where for him to go but up from here! Most people believe he will be first off the board and their's no doubt about that especially with the Wraiths receiving the first overall pick of the S2 draft. They will certainly be looking to bring him back into the fold. On top of that Lavelle is a quite consistent when it comes to tackling racking up 57 on the year. It turns out he can hit pretty hard as well! Shown by his forced fumble topped off with a fumble recovery. Though he was a step or two behind some players when it came to training due to him missing camps. Lavelle showed he has enough raw talent to flourish.

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

When I think of an MVP through out the entire NSFL play offs I can only think of one name. Literally one name. Stormblessed. In the Solis game against OCO he was a bit absent when it comes to the receiving game, but he found room to shine on special teams. It was late in the game but the Otters looked to have some life left in them especially after a quick touchdown. Stormblessed smashed those hopes and totally shifted the momentum by returning a kick for 97 yards and a touchdown. In the big Ultimus game he brought in 85 yards on 5 receptions but he also brought in the first touchdown of the Ultimus game in NSFL history. When you shut this guy down one way he comes back 10 times stronger in another and I feel that's what it takes to be an MVP. If it wasn't for the man Stormblessed I don't know if the Outlaws would have came away victors in both games. No one does. But there is one thing I know for sure. Stormblessed will go down in history as the first man to ever reach the endzone in an Ultimus game and Stormblessed with be a mennace on defenses here in the NSFL for years to come.

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

@ Glacius Game

The Glacius game was hosted in Denver Colorado and that’s where the trophy will stay! The Yeti bested the Wraiths 13 - 6. Neither side was truly able to get their offense going but the Yeti D were able to hold more ground and come away with the win. They all together pulled in a total of 7 sacks and kept the Pro Bowler Chris Orozs in check for most of the game.

@ Solis Game

The Solis game was hosted in Phoenix Arizona and it looks like home field advantage trumps again! This game was right down the wire until Arizonas WR Stormbless returned a kick off for 97 yards! They were able to force a quick turnover on downs and then RB Reg Mackworthy ran it in to seal the deal. But, they weren’t done yet! Jaylon Lee rubbed salt into the wounds with a pick six near the end of the game. Ending Oroange County's Season.

@ Ultimus Game

The inaugural Ultimus game, a VERY hype event indeed. However it was to be a sad day for one team either way. No one knew how rough it would actually be. Unfortunately for the great State of Colorado. The Yeti did not show up to play and we’re all around roughed up. Nobel threw for only 165 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. Tiernan and Tween combined rushed for 58 yards. On the other end both Draxel AND Bronko came out to shine each of them bringing in a touchdown and no picks.

All in all it was quite exciting! The Outlaws came back from being what was basically the laughing stock of the league and showed just about everyone exactly how stupid we are. Thats story book stuff right there!

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Well the first Ultimus game in NSFL history was a blow out as Arizona was able to seal the deal against Colorado 29 - 6.The Yeto could just not get their offense going at all. Their starting quarterback Logan Noble had a mediocre day, only throwing for 165 yards with no touchdowns and one interception leaving him with a 49.3 passer rating. Penalties seems to plague them as well racking up a total of 69 penalty yards to Arizonas 15. When it comes to the Outlaws its easy to see why they won, they simply head everything working for them! Starting QB Vincent Draxel went 20 for 36 for 271 yards and a touchdown leaving the game with a 89 as his passer rating. King Bronko came in to relieve near the final minutes of the game and destroyed the Yeti secondary in his short sample size posting up 4 out 5 passes completed, 34 yards and a touchdown giving him a passer rating of 134.6.

Last but not least but their defense absolutely out performed the other team holding them to less than a touchdown point wise. Leading the way in my opinion was none other than Jayce Tuck pulled in just 5 tackles but 4 of them huge plays. He was a big reason the passing game never got going as he laid out Noble a total of 3 times through out the game and recorded a tackle for a loss. Its safe to say he and company were putting pressure on the quarterback all game. All in all a big win for the team everyone thought would suck.

[adam2552]

Championship Banner



@ADwyer87
------

Championship Game Recap

The biggest play of the NSFL Championship game came early in the first quarter. The score was tied and the Colorado Yeti had the ball in their own territory. On the third and seven play, Yeti quarterback Logan Noble dropped back to pass. As the Outlaw defensive line broke through the Yeti's offensive line, Noble panicked. He looked left, he looked right, with no one open and running out of time, he threw up a prayer the wide receiver Kenny Hendrix. The ball would not reach it's intended target though, free safety Ryan Flock saw the play developing and jumped the route. Flock picked the ball out of the air. He scampered down the sideline, twenty-four yards for the first touchdown of the game. This play set the tone for the game, as the Yeti were unable to get anything going offensively. The Arizona Outlaws would go onto win 29 - 6 and claim the first the NSFL Championship in league history. The Outlaws couldn't have done it without Ryan Flock's instincts on this play. Flock made the biggest play in the biggest game on the biggest stage, and will always be remembered as the first player to score a touchdown in a NSFL Championship game.

[4D Chess]

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

When the two teams from way up North (Yellowknife and Colorado) butted heads in the opening rounds of the playoffs most experts predicted that it would come down to quarterback play. Though I’m a recent follower of the NSFL it’s not hard to see that when two active and growing players like Noble and Orosz take the field as field generals of their respective squads that’s going to be a must-see matchup. The two QB’s posted nearly identical TD-INT ratios in the regular season (15-8 for Noble to 14-9 for Orosz), and their completion percentage was within just a few points of one another. However, when the game started it was clear that the Yeti led by Noble were having the better day. Orosz managed a pedestrian 137 yards passing, but the blame is certainly not only on his shoulders as he was sacked a nearly unbelievable seven times. The Yeti did a slightly better job of keeping Noble upright (allowing 5 sacks) and Noble was able to find his go-to wide receiver Law for the go ahead score in the third quarter on a beautifully thrown eleven yard spiral. Both Yellowknife and Colorado should be going into Season 2 with the same QB’s, and for Orosz and the Wraith there will certainly be the pain of a playoff loss feuling them through an offseason which will surely be volatile and full of roster movement.

Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

Arizona has one of the very best surefire tacklers in the league in Lee, he finished third in the entire National Sim Football League in tackles. And while he added a respectable four sacks and a forced fumble throughout the year for the Outlaws, the thing you immediately notice about Lee is that when he gets a hand on an opposing player they WILL be brought down. That tackling technique was showcased opposite another wonderful defensive talent in Devitt of the Orange County Otters. Devitt is a pass rusher first and foremost, and the Otters defensive scheme allowed him to focus almost solely on bringing down the quarterback and he did so a quite respectable 10 times throughout the course of the regular season. When the two teams met in the playoffs it was the Outlaws who ended up winning comfortably, but Devitt did what he does best and recorded two sacks in the final game of his season. Lee, however, was a total showstopper recording 9 tackles, a sack, an a pick-six. Both players stocks are rising BIG time as we head into season two, and don’t be surprised if you hear announcers calling their names well into the future.



Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

The Baltimore Hawks had experienced a tumultuous first season that ultimately fell short of anyone within the organizations goals at the start of training camp. A lot of this can be attributed to a switch in ownership, and this change in leadership is one reason that things may be looking up for the Baltimore Hawks in Season 2 as they try and build from their lackluster 4-10 Season 1 campaign. One area where you have to believe the Hawks will be looking to add some talent is in the Wide Receiver corps, while their top receiver West was #4 in the NSFL in yards he only reeled in 4 touchdowns. Perhaps the Hawks will be looking to add C.A. Chess from the University of Michigan who is quickly climbing the draft boards. The quarterback play for the Hawks was also something that should improve in the coming season, and with a more talented offensive unit you can expect the number of interceptions from Kyubee to be cut down from his season one totals of 17. All in all, if the Hawks continue building on the core they have in place with a solid offseason the fans in Baltimore could be sniffing the playoff bracket as early as next season -- but as is the case in any season, you never really know what will happen when the players take the field.


Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

In a game that was never really in doubt for the Arizona Outlaws the casual observer must look at the play early in the game that turned the tide, and without a doubt it was the twenty-three yard interception return for a pick six by Flock that set the tone for Arizona and will ultimately be the play most remembered from the first championship in National Simulation Football League history. Though typically we think of big time plays coming in the 4th quarter, not the 1st, this play was a total momentum shifter. Up until that point neither offense had mounted a serious drive, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the Outlaws stellar defense that ended up breaking the ice. Flock’s 4th interception of the year came against one of the league’s better quarterbacks in Noble, but the entire game the Yeti offense seemed to sputter through the game. While the breadth of the championship game can’t simply be summed up in one play, Flock’s early interception set the tone for the Outlaws and was symbolic for the stout defense that smothered the Yeti offense the entire game. One thing’s for sure, when Flock retires from the league he’ll be remembered in the history books as the first person to ever score in the battle for the Ultimus Trophy.

Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs.

I can't get the image to load normally through the forum so here's the link to it on Imgur
http://imgur.com/s6yZx1u



10 TPE

[DeathOnReddit]

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

Logan Noble vs Vincent Draxel
Coming into the game there was debate on who would be better. Draxel was known to be inactive and was going to be replaced in the next season, while Noble was still going strong and some considered him the best QB in the league. During the game however Draxel massively outplayed Noble. Draxel had 4 more complete passes on 2 more attempts. He also had over 100 yards more, with 3.3 more average yards per pass. Noble also threw a int and no tds while Draxel had 1 td and no ints. Draxel however near the end of the game was being benched for plays and drives for his soon to be successor Bronko. Even so Noble, against the Outlaws D, choked in the biggest game, while Draxel prospered. With Draxel still being active, there are questions on whether he will be a starter next season. With the expansion draft coming up, maybe one of the newest teams will take a chance on him next season, but he will be behind every other QB. Noble on the other hand will be the starter for the Yeti next season, and he will hope to redeem himself, and win the championship. This may have been the last battle between these 2 qbs.

Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

Vinny Cox vs Jayce Tuck

On the other side of the ball, there was a battle between Vinny Cox, DT, and Jayce Tuck, DE. Both had great game with Vinny Cox being the Defensive Player of The Game, while Tuck made huge plays for his team. Cox had 6 tackles, 1 TFL, and 3 sacks. Tuck was right behind him with 5 tackles, 1 TFL, and 3 sacks. Both were very near each other with only 1 tackle separating them. When comparing who had the bigger impact, there will be some debates. Fans of Cox will argue that Tuck had better players around him, while fans of Tuck will argue that he makes everyone around him better. At the end of the day both of these players were big for their team, with Tuck ending up as the winner. Both these players will be back with their respective teams hoping to come back to the Ultimus, with Tuck hoping for a repeat, while Cox would hope for revenge. If they do make it back to this stage, rest assured that both these players will have great games again, with Cox hoping to change the outcome and have a even better game in order to end the game victorious.

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

NSFL Championship- Jayce Tuck

Jayce Tuck deserves to be MVP for the Ultimus game. In the game Tuck had 5 tackles, 1 TFL, and 3 sacks. Being a DE Tuck wasnt getting tackles after 20 yards, he was getting tackles that were right at the Line of Scrimmage. With 1 TFL, he stopped them behind the line of scrimmage once. And 3 sacks that were all big sacks. Without Tuck there are question on how far the Outlaws would even be able to go, let alone win the Ultimus, and Tuck showed that in this game. When Tuck got a sack you could feel the hype, and he always seemed to stop the momentum of the Yeti. Playing alongside Dental Damn, Arbin Asipi, and Blaster Blade, Tuck eats up double teams, allowing the other players to get through, and Tuck is still getting to the ball carrier. There will be added pressure on Tuck next season, with Stropko and Rashad leaving, and Jackson changing positions. I believe Tuck will be able to handle the pressure, and even win more awards along the way. Next season expect Tuck to be in the conversation for DPOTY and even MVP, and perhaps a Ultimus MVP after repeating.

Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

The San Jose Sabercats

At the start of the season the Sabercats were predicted to make it to the playoffs, being in the same division as the Outlaws who many predicted to be last after their 0-4 preseason. Instead of making it to the playoffs the Sabercats were last in their division. A reason may have been that their QB Christ, was inactive, like Vincent Draxel. The sabercats decided to trade for Ethan Hunt, in order to try and make a late season push. It didnt work, and the Sabercats still finished last. Instead of at least having a QB for the future in Hunt, he decided to say he did not want to stay on the Sabercats, and asked to be left unprotected. There have been questions on if there were any clashes between Hunt and the sabercats front office during the season. Many were confused on why Hunt wanted to leave, and what the Sabercats will do now. Another reason for the Sabercats bad season may have just been communication, or lack of. It seemed they just werent on the same page during the season, and you have to wonder how many of their players will be there in 2-3 seasons time. For the future though, it seems like the Sabercats will be staying at the bottom of the ASFC.

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Pass by Noble, L., to Hendrix, K.. INTERCEPTION by Flock, R. at the COL - 24 yard line and returned for 24 yards.

The best play of the championship was the pick 6 by Ryan Flock to send a message, and provide a preview of the rest of the game. It was 3rd and 7 with the Yeti hoping to extend their drive on their own 24. Noble would drop back, and attempt a pass to his best WR, Hendrix. Instead of Hendrix, Flock jumped in front of the pass, and found a wide open space in front of him. Flock took it for the touchdown and the Outlaws were up by 7 already. This would be a preview of the rest of the match, with the Outlaws defense stomping out any hopes of life by the Yeti offense, and providing their offense great field position. Even when the Yeti seemed to be marching down the field, the Outlaws had a bend dont break defense, and the Yeti werent able to score a TD all game. This play seemed to shock the Yeti Offense, because after that INT it seemed Noble wasnt able to get a groove, and no Yeti WRs getting over 100 yards. This play seemed to show Noble wasnt able to handle the pressure of the biggest game possible, and he choked. Next season Noble will hope to get revenge on Flock.

[Zoone16]

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them.
The MVP of the Ultimus Cup Championship Finals in my eyes is None Stormblessed of the Arizona Outlaws. Stormblessed has a fantastic regular season and added to that in the championship game with 5 runs and 85 passing yards including a touchdown. He had the longest run of the night with 35 yards gained in a single play and in general was extremely difficult to cover and stop throughout the evening. His Touchdown that evening cemented the Outlaws’ position in the game and never let go from here on in. There are some other players that are worthy of mention as well and some who did just as much as Stormblessed, such as Lincoln Jefferson who ran a massive 111 yards and led the drives but did not score a touchdown. Vincent Draxel was crucial in his passing and shook off some early game sacks to respond in style, completing 20 of 36 pass attempts for 271 yards thrown. On the defense, J.Tuck had a stunning 3 sacks and 5 tackles as he tore apart the offensive line alongside J.Lee (8 tackles, 1 sack) & B.Stropko (7 tackles).
In the end, there were plenty of worthy winners for the title of MVP but I went with Stormblessed as he was a consistent threat throughout the game whereas others had their ups and downs or produced less in the end.


Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups.
As the dust settles and the Outlaws lift the first ever Ultimus Cup, let us take a look at the playoffs matchups we witnessed these playoffs.
NSFC Championship: Yellowknife Wraiths @ Colorado Yeti
In what was touted as an offense vs. defense matchup, the Colorado Yeti stopped the Wraiths in their tracks with a fantastic defensive display from W. Fulton & J. Saint who had a combined 16 tackles and 3 sacks. On the offense, the Yeti managed to get a converted TD by D.J Law midway in the 3rd quarter to squeeze ahead of the Wraiths in what was otherwise a dull offensive affair.

ASFC Championship: Orange County Otters @ Arizona Outlaws
The Arizona Outlaws ran away with the game in the 4th quarter to seal the first ever ASFC Championship in NSFL History. It was a tight affair for much of the game as teams traded kicks until the end of the 3rd quarter. The Otters did put up the first TD of the game as Bradley Westfield caught a 10-yard pass to close the gap to 13-15. But on the ensuing kickoff None Stormblessed blasted through the field with a massive 97-yard return. This seemed to demoralize the Otters and the Outlaws put two additional TDs past them to march their way into the Championship Game.

NSFL Championship Game: Colorado yeti @ Arizona Outlaws
The Outlaws celebrated in style as the offense rolled over the Yeti’s defensive lines a though they didn’t exist. By halftime the score was 16-6 Outlaws. When they weren’t able to convert into a TD, the Outlaws were able to bring it close enough to the goals for Adrienne Nugent to seal the deal with easy field goals and run up the score that way instead. A late game TD from Wes Washington in the 4th quarter sealed the deal on what was a great end to a season they led from start to finish.


Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
The Baltimore Hawks had a perfect pre-season with convincing wins over most of the teams. The start of the regular season gave their coaches much to think about as 3 losses seemed to go against the direction in which things went. A solid mid-season had them win 3 of 5 games before a strangely planned 4-game series against the Yellowknife Wraiths, their direct rival in the race for the last playoffs spot in the NSFC. The Hawks won the first game but then lost all their remaining games against the Wraiths and then 2 more to crash out of the playoffs race. So, what went wrong you might ask? Even though the Hawks do have players that had a great season for themselves, they ended up having the worst offense in all categories as well as the worst defense in all categories. More importantly they were dead last for TDs scored and yards gained by pass and rush. Most of their points scored came from Field Goals.
In defense, they were the worst team, sacking opposing QBs a mere 36 times, 17 less than the next closest team. They were also on the lower end of pancakes given whilst middle of the pack for Sacks allowed.
Overall there is much work for the Hawks to become a playoff contender and they will need to tighten up defensively and find ways for their secondaries to support their core players. This is a team that could develop into a long-term powerhouse if they can build around their core players.


Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic.



Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic.